


wishing on stars that i can't see

by dingletragedy



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Five Times, Fluff, M/M, and flirting, and lots of mutual pinning, idk what this is it just came to me last night, lots of awkward robert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-25 09:09:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19742563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dingletragedy/pseuds/dingletragedy
Summary: four time robert embarrasses himself in front of his new neighbour and the one time it pays off.





	wishing on stars that i can't see

**Author's Note:**

> title from lighting matches - tom grennan 
> 
> as always, i feel i should worn you that this is a bot shit and rushed! and very random, i have no idea where this came from, but enjoy!

**One**

Mornings were created by someone evil, Robert thinks. He hates them, despises them even, to the point where he doesn't surface past ten am if he can help it. He spends each weekend curled under his duvet until midday at the earliest, the sounds of crappy daytime tv filling the silence.

So today, when he’s awoken at some ungodly hour by a noise only to be described as a racket, he’s less than impressed. The sun's barely rising, nothing but a sharp line peeking over the horizon, birds chirping happily in the distance.  
You see Robert’s a pretty patient person, in fact, he sort of prides himself on it. He has to be, with the amount of ill-mannered businessmen he deals with daily. But at six am, Robert, naturally, wants to be sleeping. And certainly not listening to whatever obnoxiously-questionable-indie bullshit his new next door neighbour calls music. 

Surely, there were laws against this sort of thing? Common decency, at least. 

_He briefly wonders if he’d be this irate if it was Taylor Swift filtering through the gap in his door._

_Probably not._  
Shoving his duvet over his head, Robert tosses over restlessly, as if that’ll somehow make up for the thin walls and his thinning patience. 

He thinks about letting it slide, his neighbour is new after all, and Robert hardly wants to make an enemy of him already - he hasn’t got time for that. But Robert hasn’t ever been the type to let something slide, and he’s not going to change his ways now. (He’d lived in enough shared apartments over the years to know if he lets it drop this once, then he’ll be waking up at six am every day). 

The wall behind his bed seems to vibrate as Robert places his hand against it, cool to the touch and shaking against this palm. His duvet falls away as he stretches up, a chill lacing his body in the still of the morning. He balls his hand into a fist and bangs with a force; _once, twice._

Either the guy as a lack of awareness or he can’t hear himself think over the sheer volume of his own music, because he ignores Robert’s protests. 

With the music still audible, Robert scowls, chucks himself out of bed and throws a pair of old joggers on in a haste. The ground beneath him is bitterly cold at this time of morning.

He’s across the hallway and knocking on his new neighbours door in seconds, bare feet cold against the linoleum lining the floor. The chill goes beyond the tip of his nose and the pads of his fingers, latching on to him from the inside and stubbornly holding on as he rubs his hands together before knocking. 

  
_  
_ _Nothing_

  
  
He knocks a second time, a magnitude louder than the first. 

_Still nothing._

The third time he knocks, Robert’s sure he could break the door down with the force of it. But then the door swings open so suddenly, and he nearly topples back. Bright light and warmth spill out from inside, a din of music still filling the air, but Robert’s eyes stay glued to the person who opened the door – gorgeous, is Robert’s first thought. 

He’s face to face with a guy in a tight t-shirt and some sports shorts, a towel slung over his shoulders. There's a slight sheen of sweat covering his forehead where a dark brown lock falls over, making him look like he's sparkling and there's a deep, gorgeous flush decorating his cheek, rising from his neck.

The sight of him makes Robert’s palms go clammy, and on any other day, he might describe him as fit; _handsome_ even, but today he is irritable and sleep deprived. Pulling himself up to his full height, seemingly towering above his neighbour, eyes narrowing, Robert says: "were you raised in a barn?"

"Ya what?"  
  
"I said, were you -” Robert repeats, drawing his words out and upping his tone a level.  
  
"No, I mean, I heard what you said - just weren’t expecting any visitors, mate.” 

Robert wants to say ‘ _you're no mate of mine’_ but instead, calmly and without the scathing he adds: "well I can't imagine why else you would have your - your, _whatever_ this shit is, playing at full volume on a bloody Saturday morning."  
  
The guy scoffs, eyes crinkling on a laugh as he scratches at his beard, and did Robert say something funny? He's about to turn things up a notch, get that sharp tongue of his rearing, but then the guy leans against his door frame and smiles almost shyly. 

Robert’s words die in his throat.  
  
"Sorry, I’m used to living in a pub - there’s music blaring at all time there. I'll make sure I pop my headphones in tomorrow."  
  
Robert nods mutely, blinking, and thinks he should probably stop staring now. But the guys arms are flexing against the doorframe and it’s not the worst sight first thing in the morning.

“Uh - cheers?” Robert says, jerks his head a little, feeling a bit like a fish out of water.  
  
“Yeah. Sorry - again, pal.” he says, just as Robert turns back around to head to his door. The endearment catches him off guard and Robert twirls around, both surprised and offended, he thinks. Yeah, definitely offended, because who was this guy? He didn’t even know Robert. 

And they certainly weren’t _pals._   
  
In his haste, he nearly trips, too-long joggers twisting around his foot and Robert stumbles, lets out a surprised shriek when he’s positive he’s about to fall, only to find sure hands holding him upright. There’s a chest in his face, or maybe it’s the other way around but either way, Robert’s face is aflame and it’s six am. 

_It’s too early for this shit._  
  
““Uh, thank you. I’m gonna - yeah,” Robert stammers, honest to god stammers, for the first time in his life. He feels a blush rising up from his collarbones, to his neck and cheeks, then taking over his whole face. He wants the ground to swallow him whole, but he isn’t that lucky, instead he pulls back tentatively, looking anywhere but at his new neighbour. 

“See you around.” Robert says tentatively, like the first drop of rain before a storm, like a peace offering. It’s a _I-wouldn’t-of-had-a-go-if-I-knew-how-beautiul-you-were,_ apology.   
  
The guy laughs under his breath, and it’s maybe the best song Robert’s ever heard but he doesn’t have time to dwell on that. 

He has to hide in his flat and never leave it again.  
  
He certainly has to avoid his new neighbour for the rest of his life. 

_And his arms._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Two**

By the time Robert makes it back from his meeting he’s soaked through to the bone, sticky and wet and cold. Everything Robert hates being. The rain had come out of nowhere and now there’s a stitch hammering away in his side because he’d sprinted back home, underdressed for both the weather and the physical activity.  
  
His fingers are numb, a chatter in his teeth as he fumbles with the keypad to get the apartment entrance open. When he steps inside, he sneezes, loud and foreboding, the ominous awareness that he was, without a doubt, going to catch a cold from this dangling in front of his eyes.  
  
He groans, shivering as he steps toward the lift, no way is he climbing those stairs in wet jeans. His arms wind around himself, but he’s cold all over. There’s water dripping down his face, sliding down the curve of his back, and Robert can’t wait for a hot shower. He’s thinking about crawling back into the warmth of his bed when he sneezes again.

_Great._

  
The doors spring open and Robert walks forward, eyes stuck to the ground as rain splashed off his cheeks. In hindsight, he should have looked up, considering it only takes a second before he’s colliding into something wiry and painfully sharp. As he steadies himself, Robert realises there’s a hand on his elbow holding him there.

“Woah, steady mate!” the voice alters and Robert pulls back, glancing upward. There it is again. 

_Mate._

And yeah, it’s his neighbour. _Of course it’s his neighbour._

  
  
“Sorry - wasn’t looking where I was going,” Robert tries with a smile, shivers as the open window brings in a cool draft seeping in. The guy has a basket of what looks like clean laundry in hand. Robert would make some joke about this guys parents still doing his laundry to if he wasn’t preoccupied with the way his jogging bottoms are hanging low on his hips.

Robert couldn’t stop the unfamiliar pull in his stomach and it’s a little disconcerting how handsome this guy is. “You okay, though? Got caught in the rain?” 

  
“Uh, yeah. Timed it all wrong, was too desperate to escape work,” Robert explains, wonders if the guy cares at all. _Probably not._ __  
  
“You’re shivering,” his neighbour points out, and then, before Robert can say anything, he’s grabbing his clean, neatly folded hoodie out of his basket and handing it to him. “Here take this. It’ll keep you warm.”  
  
“Oh, no it’s alright - I mean, I’m almost - ”  
  
“It’s okay, really,” he smiles. “Besides, you’re just next door. You can return it whenever, right?”  
  
“Uh, y-yeah, I guess,” Robert stutters, at a loss for words but he takes the hoodie and pulls it on anyway. It feels new; comforting, intimate. And the overwhelming smell of lavender reminds him of his Mum. 

(So yeah, the guy definitely still gets his Mum to do his washing).   
“See you around, mate,” he smiles, and Robert briefly wonders is his vocabulary consisted of anything more.  
  
His face aflame, Robert pushes the door to his apartment open, sweater snug around him.  
  
He still didn’t have a name.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


  


  


**three**

Robert’s balancing act isn’t really up to the standards he first anticipated, considering half his food shopping is about end up all over the pavement.

So yeah, maybe making a second trip to his car wouldn’t have been the worst possible scenario.  
  
He’s trying to pad the code to get into the apartment complex but he can hardly see the thing. But if he puts his bag down, he’s not sure he’s going to be able to pick it all back up.  
  
Or maybe he should’ve just put them down after all, one bag slips from his fingers and spills the contents all over the place. “Shit,” he mutters under his breath.  
  
Just as Robert turns around, his back collides with someone and there’s this sinking feeling as he picks up on the waft of lavender. There are hands on his hips, keeping him from rebounding backwards, maybe even toppling over. It’s not an altogether terrible situation. 

Things could be worse. 

This could be the third time he’s walked straight into his hot new neighbour. 

_Oh wait, it is._

  
  
“We have to stop meeting like this,” his neighbour’s voice laughs and the world narrows around Robert to that one sound, shivering through him.  
  
“I’m so sorry,” Robert exhales, eyes squeezed shut as he fights off the mortification. “Again.”  
  
“Nah, it’s cool,” he says, hands leaving Robert’s hips. He misses the warmth almost immediately, leaving a chill to seep through Robert’s clothes in their wake. “You want a hand with those?”  
  
“Um - no, I - ”  
  
“It’s okay to accept help, you know? Especially from someone more - well - macho than you,” his neighbour grins, reaching to take a handful of bags out of Robert’s grip. And that - that startles a laugh out of Robert, raspy like it knows he’s nervous. It breaks his barriers down, though, and brings a ghost of a smile to Aaron’s face, too.

Robert relents, quicker than he thought he would, and lets his neighbour key them into the apartment. “You always buy enough food to feed the whole building?” Aaron asks.  
  
Robert splutter - a seemingly common occurrence when Aaron’s with his diameter - watches as his neighbour’s face lights up, laughter bubbling out of him. “I don’t have that much!”  
  
“This is two trips worth, mate,” he smirks, heading for the lift.  
  
“Well, you obviously underestimate how much I eat,” Robert scowls, even as his neighbour grins, clearly very amused. “And yes - before you ask - the four tubs of ice cream are _absolutely_ necessary.”   
  
“Idiot,” is what he gets in reply - but it’s spoken softly and it kind of makes Robert’s stomach flutter. “I’m Aaron, by the way. Don’t think we’ve got around to that part yet.” The lift doors ping open.

_Aaron._

_Aaron. Aaron. Aaron._

He bit his lip and tries to hide the smile that threatens to creep over his face; he finally has a name to put to the face. And it’s not a bad one - as far as names go. 

He tries Aaron’s name out in his head, he imagines how it would sound rolling off his tongue, purring it out as he rolls the ‘r’. 

“I’m new here, to the flat and the area, I mean.” Aaron continues as Robert fails to produce words.

  
_No shit,_ Robert wants to say, can’t quite seem to walk past the threshold of the lift doors. Aaron glances at him expectantly, head tilting to the right. He looks good today. So fucking good. _Too fucking good._ Robert’s breath is catching in his throat, dry words fizzingly away. Aaron’s smile is warms, a little uncertain. _Concerned even._ _  
_  
“Robert,” he breathes out, somehow looks away from Aaron, back of his neck prickling. He steps out just as the doors begin to close. “My names - names Robert.” _God, he sounds like a Twat._ “Can’t say I’ve noticed, really,” he covers quickly.  
  
Aaron laughs, pouting as he replies, “Really? And here I was hoping I’d caught your eye.”  
  
Robert ducks his head, hides the wash of warmth flooding his cheeks, eyes crinkling as he clenches down on his jaw, trying to bite his gums to stop his smile from spreading even wider and threatening to give him away. “Who says you haven’t?”  
  
“Oh?”  
  
Robert swallows, sneaks a look over at Aaron. He glances up and smiles at Robert, leaning against the doorframe with a slanted smirk playing on his lips and a hand running back through his unruly hair. He’s got this look on his face, shy but questioning; eyes shimmering with something unsaid. 

The intensity of it has heat rising in his gut, a pleasant burn of desire that might just keep Robert burning indefinitely. “How’re you liking everything?” He says, diverting the attention for the fire burning beneath the surface.

“Couldn’t be better,” Aaron answers without missing a beat. They reach their floor, the doors sliding open. Robert isn’t as hesitant stepping out. “Well, anything beats living with your Mum at 23.”

They’re at Robert’s front door suddenly and Robert can’t deny the disappointment that seeps through his bones. 

He gets his door open, finds himself hovering in the doorway. Something about Aaron seems to pin him to the spot, as if his hands were back on Robert’s hips, holding him steady.

 _He wishes._  
“Well if you uh - if you have any problems with anything, just give me a shout,” Robert breathes, watching Aaron’s carefully contained smile.  
  
“You’ll be the first person I ask, promise,” he grins, eyes sparkling. Robert feels the back of his neck prickle again, finally breaking eye contact to head into his apartment.

“Oh, I’ve still got that hoodie of yours, do you want to come grab it?” 

And yeah, Robert can’t deny it’s just an excuse to spend those extra five minutes with Aaron. He pushes the door open and let’s Aaron trail in behind him, both with their hands full of Robert’s shopping. 

Thankfully, Robert had cleaned the place up before he’d headed out to run errands and he’s grateful to his past self.  
  
“You can just leave the bags on the counter, thanks,” Robert says, walking into his kitchen. Aaron’s looking around, eyes slightly curious but void of any judgement. With the younger man’s attention preoccupied Robert can’t help but let his eyes trail up and down his body. He’s strong, full; black jeans tight around muscular thighs.  
  
“Nice place,” Aaron expresses, stretching his arms upwards. Robert stares at the taut stretch of muscle, Aaron’s shoulder blades rippling under his t-shirt. It’s mesmerising.

_A lot mesmerising._

__  
  
“Cheers,” he hears himself answer, nearly trips over his own two feet as he moves toward his bedroom. The hoodie, he needs to get the hoodie and stop oogling his neighbour. Vic would have a field day if he found out Robert was lusting after the guy next door. “I’m just gonna go get your hoodie, since you’re, you know, here and all.”  
  
When he gets back to Aaron, he’s leaning against the counter, eyes glued on his phone and Robert’s heart speeds up. Aaron looks effortlessly put together and it’s kind of unfair, Robert’s insides twisting together as Aaron looks up, smiling brilliantly.

Once again, Robert finds himself caught of guard by Aaron’s easy familiarity. Somehow it’s not off putting and Robert knows he’s going to be in trouble.

“Hoodie,” Robert offers, holding out the jumper to Aaron. “I washed it,” he hurries to add, swallowing.  
  
“You didn’t have to,” Aaron smiles, straightening out.  
  
“Well, you did let me borrow it,” Robert replies, hand running through his hair. Aaron seems to watch the motion and it only makes Robert feel self-conscious.

He’s Robert Sugden, he doesn’t do self conscious. 

But then again, he doesn’t do this either, longing after the boy next door. 

_It seems there’s a lot of things Aaron makes Robert do._

Robert shuffles his feet, suddenly aware of the effect Aaron has on him, glancing down before looking back up. Aaron’s expression is unreadable, yet somehow still so warm. “Do you want a brew?” He asks, breaking the settle stretch of silence.  
  
“Uh - yeah. That'd be great, ta,” Aaron answers as Robert proceeds to flick the kettle on. There's the sound of the kettle boiling, of mugs and spoons clattering around, of jars being placed into cupboards and Robert wracks his brain of something to say.

“So, Aaron, what is it you do for a living?” Is what he decides on. 

And if they spend the next three hours talking about everything and anything, sharing one of the many tubs of ice cream, well, that’s nobody's business.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_  
_ **_four_ ** **  
**  
  
In all respects, Robert should have known better than to go out bar hopping with Bernice and Kerry. He should have, but here he is, drunkenly making his way home because apparently even at twenty-six he still had poor decision making skills. 

  
He'd stumbled all the way along the never-ending road to his flat, left to fend for himself in the cold of the night. Still, things could be worse. He could be alone and hungry, the cheesy chips he’s demolishing have just that one covered. He’s just cold and maybe a little lonely. 

There'd been a few people who'd shown him and interest tonight, some beautiful and some mysterious, but Robert hadn't been, a certain someone popping up in his head a little too frequently. 

  
He's barely made it into the apartment, pushing the door open only to nearly chuck his chips all down himself. He hears someone snigger then, it provokes this familiar feeling of dread inside him.

It's like the universe wants Robert to be embarrassed at all possible costs, eyes widening in horror as he realises who it is. It's not like it would ever be anyone else, is it?  
  
"Shit - Aaron," Robert curses, blushing down at his ketchup-stained shirt.

  
“Yep -” Aaron pops, “last time I checked, anyway.”

  
"Uh yeah - you alright?" Robert diverts the conversation, mortified beyond belief.  
  
Aaron laughs, but it comes out more as a snort interspersed with chuckles. He's smiling and Robert's heart is racing , every drop of blood having rushed to his face. Doesn't help that he's still pretty drunk. "I’m fine, mate. You’ve got a bit of uh -" Aaron states, hands gesturing vaguely in the direction of Robert’s chest.  
  
"Yeah. Forgot how quickly that door swings back at you, knocked half my chips down my front" Robert breathes out in one rush.  
  
"You're pretty cute when you're drunk," Aaron smiles lazily. Robert's sure his heart thuds to a stop, kicking back into drive a second later.  
  
"I am _not_ cute," Robert protests, hiding his face in his hands. "Drunk, yes. Cute, never"  
  
"I don’t know mate, those cheeks -" Aaron tease. "Definitely cute."  
  
"I didn't know you were an expert on _cuteness_ ."  
  
"Got an eye for it, I have," Aaron says solemnly and Robert can't help but laugh; effortlessly, warmth flooding his chest.  
  
“Hm, I’m sure you have,” Robert agrees, laughter bubbling as the lift doors open. He does a much better job walking out than he's expecting of himself to, Aaron hovering close by as if he’s expecting Robert to fall flat on his face. It gives him a moment to collect himself, slightly embarrassed by how quickly he's grown fond of Aaron; how quickly he’s become part of his everyday thoughts.  
  
"You gonna be okay? Ya seem a little unsure on your feet."

Robert looks affronted, eyes narrowing. “I’m not _that_ drunk.”

Aaron wisely doesn’t comment, slipping a hand into Robert’s to take the key from him, unlocking the door with much more ease than Robert could muster up right now. 

_So maybe he was drunk._

_Maybe Robert was drunk, and he was happy, and he wanted to kiss Aaron._

Aaron’s eyes hold Robert’s captive, a gaze that's filled with crackling electricity and overflowing with _something._ And yeah, wants to kiss him so badly it hurts.

 _Only, that might get him a punch in the face. And he quite likes his face, thank you very much._   
  
"What are you doing up and about at this time anyway?," Robert mumbles, realizing thatAaron certainly didn’t look like he’d been out of the town, shorts and running shoes giving him away.   
  
"I just wanted to go out for some air, maybe take a walk. Had a long day."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," Robert sympathizes. "Wanna talk about it? I’m a great listener."  
  
"Nah, it's okay. I got to see you at the end,didn’t I? All better now," Aaron grins, eyebrows waggling, and Aaron doesn’t seem like the type to flirt so freely; so openly. But Robert supposes the dead of the night brings things out of people the sunlight would never.

  
Hiding his smile behind a hand, Robert rests his hip against his doorframe, chin resting on his hand. "Well, I I have been told I’m a _literal_ ray of sunshine before."  
  
"Hm, we’ll see,” Aaron counters, voice an octave lower. Robert's elbow actually slips on the doorframe he's so caught off guard, Aaron catching him with his left hand. There had to be some kind of limit to how embarrassing Robert could be in front of one person but apparently he hadn't hit it yet.  
  
Aaron’s laughing though, shaking his head with a fondness and Robert supposes he should count his blessings. He hadn't scared off his ― whatever Aaron was ― with his stupidity yet.  
  
"I think that maybe it's your bedtime."  
  
"Alright, cheers Mum" Robert jokes, swaying a little on his feet. Aaron hasn't taken his hand off of Robert's waist yet, his amusement coloured with concern.

  
_“Idoit.”_

  
"T-thanks," Robert blushes, head ducking downward to hide the heat he can feel on his cheeks. "For everything."  
  
"Anytime," Aaron says warmly, heading for his own front front door. 

  
"Have a goodnight," Robert murmurs at the door, waving Aaron off. He doesn't close his door all the way until he hears Aaron close his own.

  
It’s safe to say he falls asleep to dreams of curly hair and rough edges.

**Five**

  
  
  
Robert likes parties, he does, but he’s been at this one for thirty minutes now and only caught a glimpse of Aaron when he’d been let into his apartment. Apparently it’s one of Aaron’s mates birthday, or something, and he’d begged Aaron to use his _brand-new_ flat to host the celebrations. 

He’d knocked on Robert’s door yesterday morning, inviting him to the party with a shy smile and an awkwardness Robert didn’t know Aaron was capable of. 

_And he was hardly going to pass up on the chance of spending some time in Aaron’s company, was he?_  
  
Heading in the direction of what Robert assumes is the kitchen, he scans the crowd, a little annoyed that he had to crane his neck upwards to see past everyone. He’s about to give up when Robert spots Aaron’s unruly curls, his laughter bubbling up over the din of the crowd. He’s pulling away from a group of people, motioning toward the kitchen and Robert.

Only he trips over an empty can and crashes right into Aaron. Yet again.  
  
“Oh my god, I’m so- ” Robert starts, apologies on the tip of his tongue, but Aaron’s already laughing, hands reaching out to steady Robert.  
  
“I hope it’s only me you crash into all the time. I think I’d get jealous otherwise,” Aaron grins, his smile always infectious.  
  
“Only you,” Robert assures, cheeks tingling with _something._  
  
“Good to know,” Aaron whispers, a hand slipping down his arm to wrap around Robert’s wrist loosely. He tugs on it, guides them into the kitchen, and it’s mostly empty. There’s two guys in one of the corners but that’s about it.  
  
“I’m really glad you could make it,” Aaron says, his hand having left Robert’s wrist. He grabs a beer out of his fridge, offering one to Robert.  
  
“Well, I couldn’t turn down free beer now, could I?” Robert breathes out, shaking his head.  
  
“I’ll be sure to remember that,” Aaron replies, turning toward Robert. They end up leaning against the counter and t here’s warmth radiating where their elbows knock together, tantalising in its intensity. Robert can’t help but imagine their whole bodies tangling together, warming himself down to the bone.  
  
“Are you keeping notes on me?” Robert teases, heartbeat picking up as his nerves get the better of him.  
  
“Would you mind if I was? ” Aaron replies, taking a swig of his beer. He leans in closer, eyes soft, and _shit,_ Robert wasn’t expecting that.  
  
“Nope. Not at all.” Robert says, eyebrows raising as he fights off another smile.  
  
“Good. Because I think you’re worth keeping notes on,” Aaron claims, voice light and airy. Robert floats a little closer subconsciously, seemingly pulled in by the self-assured look reflecting in Aaron’s eyes.  
  
“You sound very sure about that.” Robert breathes, glancing down at Aaron’s hands. He reaches to trace a thumb over the cuff, carefully looking back up. Aaron’s eyes look darker, his smile turning serious, breath shallow.  
  
“Well,” he starts, stepping in a little closer. Robert can smell his aftershave, musky and earthy, chest squeezing tighter and tighter as he tries to suck in a breath. “I wouldn’t of invited you here otherwise.”  
  
“Hm,” Robert murmurs, eyes on Aaron’s mouth, his lips pink and inviting. “Hope I live up to your expectations.” 

“Guess there’s only one way to find out.”  
  
“And how’s that?”  
  
“You should kiss me.” Aaron states casually whilst Robert completely loses his shit.   
  
“I should, should I?” Robert breathes, not waiting for a reply before closing the gap between them, lips soft as they meet in the middle and Robert’s sure the sky above them explodes.

He’s floating. There is no other way to describe what Robert’s feeling, no discernible earthly emotion that would do it justice. He’s floating and he doesn’t ever want to come back down. 

He feels hot all over where they meet, hands reaching out to touch. Aaron leans in closer, brackets Robert against the counter with his strong arms, as he kisses Robert slowly; sweetly. 

He feels a little lightheaded, sucks on Aaron’s bottom lip before kissing it. Aaron pulls away first, a thumb smoothing along Robert’s jaw.

Robert's still trying to get his lungs working again, feeling like a fourteen-year-old. “Well, then?” he just about gasps.  
“Yep. You definitely lived up to my expectations?” Aaron hums. “Excelled them, even.”

Aaron surrounds him again after a beat; _two,_ and Robert can’t help but drink him in, so greedy he's almost drowning. Twin heartbeats thud in his ears, almost in sync, both racing like they've been running to meet right in this moment.

Robert lets out a forgotten breath that got caught in his lungs, just as Aaron leans forward and joins their lips once again - it’s not so soft this time, it’s messy and full of clashing teeth. 

It’s desperate and it’s so bloody perfect. 

It ignites a fire in Robert's belly, a strong, powerful want.

He brings his hands up to circle Aaron's waist, pulling him as close as he possibly can, and even then, it's not close enough. He can feel Aaron's skin burning through layers of clothes, just out of touch.

And then suddenly: “Oi - put him down Dingle!” breaks their embrace - it’s Aaron friend - the birthday boy - and there’s not the disgust Robert was expecting conveying his face, just a fondness and a slight warning. 

(Yeah, the warning is definitely directed at Robert).

Aaron shakes his head before wrapping his arms around Robert's neck, giggling into the kiss he presses to Robert’s lipe, when he accidentally bumps their noses together. Robert can't help the answering smile that takes over his face, stretching his lips, and in a split second they're both laughing into each other's shoulders.

Robert hugs Aaron close to him, slotting in perfectly like a puzzle piece. Aaron is soft and warm and pliant, fingers interlaced on the back of Robert's neck, tracing lazy circles. Robert presses his smile to the skin just behind Aaron's ear, again and again as he tries to reconcile the feeling of absolute happiness that's rushing through his veins, tries to calm his shuddery breathing and still his shaking hands. 

They're swaying a little, side to side like a lazy slow-dance, comfortably stuck in the moment of having each other. They could stay just like this, forever, and Robert wouldn't mind one bit.

“Wanted to do this since I first saw you.” Robert admits into the depths of Aaron’s neck. 

“Oh yeah? You mean that time you knocked my door down to shout about my anti-social behaviour?”

“Hm.” Robert agrees. “Since that exact moment. You were standing there all - all brooding and sweating and so bloody inviting.” 

“Well - same ‘ere. Thought you were dead fit stood their in just your joggers.” Aaron starts, blush rising on his own face at the admission. “So - uh - do you want to take this to the bedroom?”

“Definitely.” Robert answers without missing a beat. 

_And yeah, Robert_ _is a little bit in love._

  
  
  


_Already._

**Author's Note:**

> i'm @ dingletragedy on tumblr xx


End file.
